Reenforcing plate and template for switch boxes



Jan. 15, 1924. 1,481,117

ESAR-HADDON BALL REENFORCING PLATE AND TEMPLATE FOR SWITCH BOXES FiledAug. 16 1920 fizz/e12 70;; ZIMr-fi 04 0 012 3:; Z/

' AZZar/z/y 4 Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

ESAR-HADDON BALL, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

BEENFORCING PLATE AND TEMPLATE FOR SWITCH BOXES.

Application filed August 16, 1920. Serial 1T0. 403,002.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ESAR-HADDON BALL, acitizen of the. United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county ofRamsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Reenforcing Plates and Templates for Switch Boxes, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to templates for laying out openings to be cutthrough the lath and plaster of a wall to receive a switch box commonlyused in wiring houses for electric lighting systems. It also relates tomethods of reenforcing the plaster adjacent the space where the openingis to be cut or sawed thus preliminarily and permanently clamping thelath and plaster together so that in the process of sawing the openingthe lath will not become detached from the plaster. Ordinarily theopenings are laid out by measurement, the plaster and lath being removedwith a key hole saw. This method results in separating the plaster fromthe lath, the teeth of the saw pushing the latter back into the spacebetween the studding so that when the switch box is secured to the lathit is very unstable, being easily moved by the hand.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which will at onceserve as a pattern and guide in the process of cutting the opening andserve as a permanent reenforcing member which need not be dis- {Jurbedin the process of hanging the switch Another object of the invention isto pro vide a device of the class described which may be profitably usedfor both old and new work, the device being adapted to fit standardmakes of switch boxes now generally in use. one of the novel featuresbeing .its complete concealment by the wall plate of standard make. Tosecure these advantages and others to be hereinafter pointed out,'theinvention consists in certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front view of the invention showing it applied toa section of a wall.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fi re 1.

igure 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1. s

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an ordinary switch box, the switch notbeing shown.

igure 5.is a perspective view of the switch alone. i

F igu're6 is a perspective view of an ordinar wall plate.

igure 7 is a front view of the invention screwed in position on the wallpreparatory to the removal of the lath and plaster.

Figure 8 is a front view of the invention secured to the wall, the holehaving been outi and the switch box secured in position, an

Figure!) is a front view showing the wall plate finally positioned.

In the drawings A designates an ordinary comparatively long open topswitch box, having at each end flush with the edge of the opening anoutstanding integral lug 1 with a suitably tapped screw hole 2.Adjustably mounted by means of the screws 3 on the end walls 4 of thebox so as to be movable up and down thereon, are the brackets 5, thelatter being cut away centrally to loosely surround the lugs 1. Each ofthe bra kets is provided with screw holes 6. B designates the switchadapted to fit loosely into the interior of the box a part thereofextending over the lugs 1, said part having laterally elongated holes 6'spaced to register with the holes 2 wherebv it may be firmly screwed inposition, the elongated holes permitting the switch to be shiftedlaterally to facilitate plumbing the same. The switch is also providedwith tapped screw holes 7, which register with the screw holes 8 in thewall or cover plate C whereby the latter is firmly secured thereto, theplate being of the usual elongated rectangular type with parallel sideedges. Centrally it is provided with the usual openings to looselyreceive the usual finger buttons 9 of the switch. Thus the wall plateis. supported solely by the switch and the latter solely by the box. Asthe wall plate is fastened to the switch. the latter must be shifted bymeans of its elongated holes '6' until the wall plate assumes aperfectly plumb position. This must be done by trial. as the screwsholding the. switch are not accessible when the wall plate is securedthereto. The ordinary wall plate shown, is made of thin metal with adownturned surrounding edge to effect, exteriorly, a beveled appearancethereby also forming a space between the wall and the plate. In theordinary process of mounting a box, this spacecontains the outstandingflanges of the brackets 5, as the flanges rest with their under surfacesagainst the smooth surface of the plaster. If found necessary thebrackets may be adjusted so that the lugs will be sunk deeper to givethe wall plate screws a better purchase. i

Having now. described the ordinary process of hanging a wall box, I willdescribe my invention which comprises a comparatively thin preferablyone piece steel reenforcing template or supporting frame D suitablyrounded at the corners, and formed to loosely fit bodily in the hollowof the wall plate C so that it may be rotated flatwise slightly thereinabout an imaginary axis located in the center of the frame. This isessential to permit the wall plate to be shifted to render it plumb. Torender the switch box shiftable, as described, the inner edges of eachof the side rails 11 slant slightly inward from a point midway betweenthe ends of the frame, each of said side members having a screw hole 12'adjacent said point. The opening 13 of the frame is formed to looselyreceive at said 1 midway point the wall box or the like, each endthereof being cut away at 14 to clear the lugs 1 thereof. The flanges ofthe brackets 5rest against the outer face of the ends 15 of theframe,,the latter having spaced elongated screw holes 16 in registerwith the holes 6 of the brackets 5 to receive suitable screws, wherebythe frame may be secured to the upper and lower lath of the three lathsshown. To avoid having two thicknesses of metal above the surface of theplaster (to be contained in the hollow of the wall plate) I recess oroffset the'end portions 15 of the frame by means of crimps 17, theplaster being slightly scraped away to accommodate said offsets. Therespective brackets 5 rest in said offsets and are thereby renderedflush with the exposed face of the frame.

After locating the laths in the wall, the

' frame is held against the latter and outlined with a pencil. Theplaster is then gently scraped top and bottom if desired to accommodatethe offset ends of the frame.

The frame is then firmly screwed, by means of screws 17 projectedthrough the plaster, to the respective laths 18, thereby firmly bindingthe lath, plaster and frame together. The plaster within the opening 13is now easily removed, the edge of the opening serving as a guide ortemplate and preventing the plaster from crumbling and breaking outbeyond the area covered by the wall plate. In the process of wiring oldhouses crumbling of the plaster is a constant menace, the wall paperalso frazzling out beyond repair. The lath may now be safely sawed away,as the frame serves as a permanent reenforcing member. The screws in theholes 16 are now backed out. The box is now positioned and screwed tothe lath as shown in Figure 2. The switch and plate may then be screwedinto position as explained in the foregoing. By adapting the frame to befastened to three laths, as shown, the Weight of the wall box isdistributed over all of the screws. As the upper and lower lath, shown,are not in practice completely severed but only partly removed, thecenter screws alone may be used to hold the frame positioned whencutting the hole.

I claim:

1. The combination with a switch box adapted to be projected into anopening in a wall, said box carrying flanges overlapping the edges ofthe opening, a template frame secured to the wall around said opening,said template frame being formed with a central opening to receive saidswitch box, the inner edges of the frame constituting said opening beingdirected inwardly toward the center of the frame to centrally narrow thewidth of the opening, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a switch box adapted to be projected into anopenin in a wall, said box carrying flanges over apping edges of theopening, a template frame secured to the wall around said opening,

said template frame being formed with a central opening to receive saidswitch box, the inner edges of the frame constituting said opening beingdirected inwardly toward the center of the frame to centrally narrow thewidth of the opening; and said template frame being formed with recessesto receive the flanges of said switch box to permit said flanges to lieflush with the main portion of said frame.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa-,

ture.

ESAR-HADDON BALL.

